To Inspire:

Credit: monkmanual.com

In recent years  I (Matt) have used two planners – the Franklin Planner and more recently the Full Focus Planner. Both are very good and I’m sure many of you have or do now use one or the other. But for me, they were lacking something that lays beneath my priorities and plans – a deeper purpose around which to organize my life. So I began a search that led me to the Monk Manual. This planner is designed for greater weekly and daily reflection around the purposes and values upon which I desire to build my life.

The planner’s founder is Steve Lawson, a remarkably young entrepreneur to have designed a tool reflecting great wisdom. In a recent blog, Steven shared how important ideas are to the way we live our lives:

“Ideas shape us, and they have the potential to transform us. You can probably see how certain beliefs have directed your own life (for better or for worse). Every yes, and every no that we make is informed by our beliefs, and the ideas that shape our vision for the world and ourselves.

But here is the thing we often miss: Yes, it is true that beliefs shape our life trajectories… changing our life simply isn’t possible without changing our beliefs. But f we want to change the direction of our life (and ultimately our experience of life), we must change our ideas. Our behaviors and life circumstances are a result of our thinking. If you want to change your life, you have to change your thinking. There is no way around it. About two years into my journey with the Monk Manual, I came to a realization. Tools, journals, planners, and templates are helpful… but their impact is limited. The problem for most of us, isn’t broken tools, it’s broken ideas about what it means to truly flourish as a human being. Until we understand that what we lack is insight, not effort, we will continue to feel like a dog constantly chasing our own tail.

Wisdom underlies all great ideas and is the great liberator for us.”

Steve’s reflection above will require more than just a passing reading. I encourage you to spend some time with what he’s shared. What are the beliefs and the underlying ideas that have directed your life? Is there something you want to change in your life? Then re-examine those beliefs and the ideas that lie under them and search for the deeper truth, the deeper wisdom that can change your ideas, your beliefs, your life.

Living life with greatness – in the way God intended you to live – what a great quest!

Written by Matt Palmer, Partner & Co-founder